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Best insulated slide-outs


Freedomtailer

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Some time back I was researching foil backed radiant barrier for heat reflection and insulation in my metal building/shop.  I'm in the SW and it gets 100s here.  I talked to a guy that was the owner of a company that manufactured some radiant barrier.  I suggested scenarios to gain some idea of R Values with his product.  The reflective properties stayed pretty much the same.  With the bubble style foil on 1 side and white vinyl on the other, the R value of it at 2" from the metal siding was R2, moved it to 8" from the siding(inside the building) and the R value increased to R20.  Of course this was just based on my info and NOT on actual conditions and testing, but it did tell me that it was worth the effort to make an AIR SPACE to enhance its ability to perform.  

Wh do I include this story?  Well, this product when installed in slides, will work differently based on the conditions that it is installed in and how much AIR SPACE it has.

The stuff just works for heat reflection and insulation, how well is another matter.

Marcel

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2 hours ago, rpsinc said:

 Well, this product when installed in slides, will work differently based on the conditions that it is installed in and how much AIR SPACE it has.

That was the gist of the article that I quoted in my previous post.  The foil/foam product itself has a relatively low R-value, but you can create an assembly with it that has a much higher R-value. No doubt the radiant barrier aspect of it also adds value, but it shows how tough it is for us to decipher manufacturers claims. 

 

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

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Insulation in trailers is a tricky subject.....the R value of the insulation material is discussed but I've only seen one comment regarding the R value of the whole (floor/walls/roof/window) assembly......then there is the build quality.......then there is the heat source.....then there is condensation.

The walls( R10), floor (R5),  roof (R10) in our slides is just about useless with alum. framing (thermal bridging) 16"O.C.  At 65F inside and 25F outside 4" inches of snow will melt off the slides in 12 hours.

Shooting the trailer with a FLIR camera was an eye opener.  Heat loss through AC ducting and vents was the first thing dealt with, next was (temporary with Velcro) 1" EPDM foam on the top of the slides and 1 1/2 XPS on the bottom of the slides. Right now I'm making 2" XPS (R10) panels for the bottom of the trailer and 1" (R5) for the steel frame.  I still have to look at the leakage around the slides especially along the bottom and then the compartment doors.  

 

2011 Cameo 34SB3

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  • 4 weeks later...

Most RV slide out floors are NOT insulated.  They may be 1 1/2 inch thick, but the insulation value is low.  Nobody in the production RV uses the bubble foil correctly.  As soon as you sandwich it or compress it,  it looses all value.  It has to have airspace on both sides.  

Find the owners forums of the brands you are considering and read all the cold weather posts.  Last winter Grand Design had an issue with the kitchen island sinks and faucets freezing up.  Montana's might be a little better, but their sinks in slide outs were freezing...

Alie & Jim + 8 paws

2017 DRV Memphis 

BART- 1998 Volvo 610

Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/12/2017 at 8:45 AM, Freedomtailer said:

I cannot afford a custom made 5th wheel.

i need information about the current brand 5th wheels that are mid to luxury level.

we ar close to retirement and want to spend winters in warm places in the south.

We need a well insulated 5th wheel. Thx.

Might want to look at the Grand Design RV lines.  I have a Momentum 376TH (a very small garage under the rear bedroom, front living room) and with five slide outs, we're very happy with it.  If you go to their owners forum, you'll find out that many full timers already have this model but they have several other lines that are not toy haulers.

There are many, many nice features but a couple are the outside kitchen, outside entertainment and in the forward living room, besides the fire place below the televator (large flat screen that raises up out of the cabinet) is the theater seating that has heat, massage and blue lighted cup holders. to 

Edit:  I bought a new Arctic Fox off the lot a few years ago but wanted the dual pane windows and that was negotiated in the price.  So I was able to experience the same 5er with and without dual pane windows in both very high temps (90s-100s) as well as very cold (down around freezing temps) and I would highly recommend dual pane windows.  However, if you buy used (this rig was six months old and I got very lucky in finding a private party to buy from) like I did this rig, then I would suggest the ceramic window film.  

I tried the ceramic window film (clear since all windows are already dark tint) and it made a huge difference in the truck where the dogs spend a lot of time when we're in the truck stop or restaurant for lunch, etc.  That I went ahead and invested in it for this 5er.  With five slide outs, there's A lot of windows and it was pricey but well worth it in my opinion.

IMG_5508.JPG

2017 Grand Design Momentum 376TH pulled by a 2014 Ford F-350 Lariat, FX-4, dually, longbed

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On 8/12/2017 at 3:02 PM, Lou Schneider said:

Arctic Fox uses R-15 reflective foil insulation and R-18 fiberglass insulation in their main roofs, R-15 reflective foil in the slideout ceiling (likely in the floor, too),  The slide side walls are made the same as the main sidewalls.

A slide topper awning will keep a lot of the sun heating off of the slideout roof.  Don't forget the thermal pane windows, standard on the Arctic Fox.

Arctic Fox with dual pane windows is also a very nice product in that price point.....I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the one that we had except that it was to small for full timing.

2017 Grand Design Momentum 376TH pulled by a 2014 Ford F-350 Lariat, FX-4, dually, longbed

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